Mersing: Police have confirmed that the man who tried to seize the ignition key of a motorcycle ridden by two males believed to be school students at a traffic light near Sekolah Kebangsaan Bandar Endau last Friday was an on-duty police officer.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mersing District Deputy Police Chief DSP Mohd Hasrudi Mohd Zain stated that the incident occurred at around 12.30 pm while a crime prevention patrol officer from the Endau Police Station was carrying out his duties. The officer, while riding a motorcycle, identified himself as a policeman and attempted to remove the motorcycle key due to the vehicle having a modified license plate and an exhaust that produced excessive noise. The students, however, swatted the officer’s hand away and sped off.

Mohd Hasrudi clarified that the officer’s actions are covered under Section 58(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 and Section 24(1)(b) of the Police Act 1967. He also advised the public against speculating on the matter.

Earlier, a 13-second video went viral on social media, showing a motorcyclist in a black shirt trying to pull the key from a motorcycle ridden by two school students, who managed to evade him and flee the scene.